Rancocas Valley's Pierce in a class by himself
Sterling Pierce burst into track prominence as a senior at Rancocas Valley. But he sure didn't feel like an overnight success.
Sterling Pierce burst into track prominence as a senior at Rancocas Valley.
But he sure didn't feel like an overnight success.
"So much went into this," Pierce said after the last event of his scholastic career, the Meet of Champions last Wednesday night in South Plainfield. "It doesn't go back to the winter. It doesn't go back to November. It goes all the way back to last summer, when I really started working for this."
Pierce is The Inquirer's South Jersey Athlete of the Year in boys' track. He led Rancocas Valley to the program's first state title and captured three gold medals for himself along the way.
At the Meet of Champions, Pierce won gold in the 200 meters (21.79 seconds) and as the anchor leg on the 4x100 relay (42.03). He also took silver in the 100 meters (10.92).
"It's amazing how far he's come," Rancocas Valley coach Jeff Dzuranin said.
Pierce, the son of former Woodbury star Jack Pierce, the 1992 Olympic bronze medalist in the high hurdles, played lacrosse in his first two springs in high school. He didn't take up track until his junior year.
Pierce, who has signed with Villanova University on a track scholarship, showed great promise as a junior and hints of greatness during the indoor season as a senior.
But he blossomed in the spring, becoming the state's most accomplished sprinter and leading Rancocas Valley to unprecedented heights.
All of Pierce's training over the long course of the school year paid off at the Group 4 state meet as well as the Meet of Champions.
At the Group 4 meet, Pierce won the 100 (10.76) and 200 (21.77) and anchored the 4x100 relay team to victory (42.20).
Pierce's most impressive race at the Meet of Champions probably was the relay.
It was also his favorite.
"This is the best because you get to share it with your teammates," Pierce said of the relay.
Pierce took the baton in third place but ran a blistering final leg to pass two runners and secure the victory for the Red Devils.
Moments later, and perhaps showing the wear of competing in multiple events, Pierce was disappointed to finish second in the 100 meters. But he bounced back to capture another gold in the 200 meters in his last race for the Red Devils.
"Three medals at the Meet of Champions - that doesn't happen very often," Dzuranin said. "It speaks volumes about him."
@PhilAnastasia